Composed for the Feast of John the Baptist, which fell on June 24, 1738, Bach's Cantata No. 30 "Freue dich, erlöste Schar" (Rejoice, redeemed souls) (BWV 30) is a parody cantata, that is, it re-uses earlier music in a new context. Here, Bach has re-written a festive secular cantata, Angenehmes Wiederau, as a festive sacred cantata. The text, presumably by C.F. Henrici, shifts the object of praise from the squire of Wiederau to the Lord in heaven. The cantata is scored for bass, alto, soprano and tenor soloists, chorus, pairs of flutes and oboes, three trumpets plus tympani, strings, and basso continuo. The cantata is in celebratory D major with its first, penultimate, and final movement in the tonic; its second movement starts in B minor but ends in the G major of the third movement; its fourth and fifth movements are both in C sharp minor; its sixth in A major; its seventh in E minor, but ending in anticipation of the B minor of the eighth movement. The ninth movement sets up the E minor of the tenth movement. "Freue dich, erlöste Schar" is in two parts of six movements, with the opening and closing chorales being musically identical. The first and last movements are huge da capo chorales for chorus and full orchestra. The second and third movement form a pair, the former being a recitative for bass soloist and continuo and the latter being a passepied for bass and strings. The fourth and fifth movement form a second pair, the former being a secco recitative for alto soloist and the latter being a da capo aria in the form of a trio sonata for alto, solo flute, and concertante violin con sordino above pizzicato strings. The first part closes with a substantial chorale for chorus and orchestra without trumpets and drums. The seventh and eight movements form a third pair, with a recitative for bass soloist, oboes, and strings followed by an aria for bass with oboe d'amore, concertante violin, and strings. The ninth and tenth movements form a fourth pair with a secco recitative for soprano followed by an aria in the form of a trio sonata and the rhythm of a gigue for soprano and the violins in unison. The 11th movement is a brief Secco Recitative for tenor. The 12th and final movement is a repetition of the first movement. ~ All Music Guide
